Blanket support



June 14., 1955 w. M. EMERY BLANKET SUPPORT Film om. 22, 1952 fig. 5 I

IN VEN TOR.

n d la te C BLANKET SUPPORT William M. Emery, New Providence, N. J.

Application October 22, 1952, Serial No. 316,178

11 Claims. (Cl. -619) My invention refers to a blanket support. The comfort of many normal persons is enhanced by the removal of the weight of bed clothing from their feet while sleeping.

An object of my invention is to provide a blanket support simple in construction and use and suitable for quantity production and especially one suitable for domestic use. Another object is to provide a blanket support having the aforesaid characteristics and also characterized by being collapsible so it may remain unobtrusively in the bed during the day when the bed has been made.

The means for accomplishment of these and other objects will be apparent from the following specification, claims and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the device operably positioned and as it would appear from the foot of the bed with the top bed clothing absent,

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device as it would appear from the side of the foot of the bed,

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 1 except the device is collapsed, ready for the making of the bed,

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the device,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the device partly.

in section and partly broken away,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 4.

My blanket support consists of a base 10 of sheet metal or other suitable material preferably formed in the shape of an isosceles trapezoid, the parallel edges 16 and 17 of which are reversely bent. The bend of the longer or foot edge 16 is perforated with four spaced holes to receive stop rods 14, and to receive parallelly mounted pivot portions 24, of supporting arms 20, 21 respectively as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The supporting arms 20, 21 may be bent into generally C-shape from metal rod with the pivot portions 24 and 25 parallel to blanket supporting portions 22 and 23 respectively and joined by columnar portions which are oppositely bent as at 28, 29 at an oblique angle adjacent the pivot portions a short distance from the joint with said pivot portions.

The short bends 28, 29 are adapted to engage with stops on the long base edge 16 near the base corners. The stops may be provided in a number of ways such as by projecting ends of rods 14, 15 inserted through the outermost of the holes in the long base edge 16. Each rod lies parallel to one of the converging edges of the base 10 and has its other end held under the foldedover edge 17 of the base adjacent the extremities of the pivot portions 24, 25, the end portions of the folded-over edge 17 being bent to form a pocket.

In order to maintain the stop rods and pivot portions in inserted or assembled position, shoulders 40, 41, 42 and 43 are formed on the rods and pivot portions. The shoulders may be formed by turning a groove on each of said members in position for the shoulders to engage the edge of folded over portion 16 as that edge snaps into the adjoining groove.

In operation the base plate 10 of my blanket support is inserted under the foot of a mattress 50 and between the mattress and its conventional support 51. This places it on the tucked-in foot of the upper sheet and under the tucked-in foot of the lower sheet. 7

When the arms are rotated outwardly bends 28 and 29 engage the protruding ends of stop rods 14 and 15 respectively, and then the columnar portions 26 and 27 are divergingly-positioned or inclined outwardly with respect to vertical plane substantially parallel to pivot portions 24 and 25. The upper portions 22 and 23 are thus spaced farther apart than shaft or pivot portions 24 and 25 and so are positioned sufficiently outwardly, beyond the axes of the pivot mountings and stops, so as to make the arms quite stable while supporting the blankets 52.

The aforementioned spaced holes which provide part of the means for pivotally or rotatably mounting the horizontal portions of arms 20, 21 have been designated by reference numerals 12, 13. The above-mentioned columnar portions of the arms 20, 21 which extend upwardly, when the instant blanket support is in use, are identified by reference numerals 26 and 27.

The term pivotal mounting is herein illustrated by holes 12, 13 in' the front edge 16 of the base and the two co-operating pockets of folded over rear edge 17 of the'base.

When the support arms are rotated inwardly from the operating position just described upper portions 22 and 23 rise until they are directly over pivots 12 and 13 and from there they descend until, as shown in Fig. 3, upper portions 22 and 23 will lie fiat upon or sink into mattress in an unobtrusive manner. In so doing the arms cross as shown, and repose in an inactive, inoperative and unobtrusive collapsed position. The arms 26, 27 are sufliciently resilient, and there is normally enough play in the pivotal mounting, to permit crossing of the arms as shown in Fig. 3.

rotatably holding or pivoting a shaft portion or extension of blanket elevating arms as 20 and 21.

The bearing construction is such that said shaft extension is substantially perpendicular to the foot of the bed. The platelike base is so constructed, or is of such width and length,

as to provide when inserted under a mattress a secure base which can suitably support upwardly-extending like base.

blanket elevating arms which carry the weight of the foot portions of blankets without tilting. In the illustrated embodiment, the plate It) provides such a plate- The blanket elevating shaft extension is rotatably mounted in the bearing construction in the platelike base and further includes a vertically-swinging, blanket-supporting arm which is substantially perpendicular to said shaft extension. In the preferred embodiments herein illustrated such a blanket-supporting arm and shaft extension are formed by the lower part 24, 2 5 and the intermediate part 26, 27 of a generally C-shaped rod structure and provides one form of means for contacting in a slidable manner an appreciable area of the blankets or bedclothing to be elevated. It is apparent that the lower and intermediate parts 24, 25 and 26, 27 of the disclosed C-shaped structure form a generally L- shaped rod member which has the aforementioned shaft extension formed by the shorter horizontal part of the L-shaped member and has the blanket-supporting arm formed by the upright longer part of the L-shaped memher.

When the shaft extensions of the generally L-shaped rod member are rotatably or pivotally mounted in the bearing construction of the plate-like base, it is obvious that the blanket-supporting arm can be moved through a complete arc in a substantially vertical plane, parallel to the foot of the mattress, unless stop means are provided. The stop means and arm are so constructed and arranged in relation to the blanketsupporting arm and the plate-like base that this arm is stopped in a position which results in the means for contacting the blanket being located above the mattress and an appreciable distance from a vertical plane through the shaft extension. This prevents the arm from being accidentally collapsed when in blanketsupporting position. In the preferred disclosed embodiment, the stop means and the structural relations between the stop .means and the arm area are provided by the ends of stop-rods 14, and the short bends or sections 28, 29 which continue to the longer sections of the upright arms 26, 27. It also is to be noted that, in the preferred embodiment the arms are sufficiently flexible and resilient to cross over at the center line of the bed whereby the blanket elevating device is easily folded down and permits beds to be conventionally made-up during the day. This feature can also be accomplished by suitably arranging bends 28 and 29, or by play between shoulders 41 and 42 and the edge of bend 16.

Without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention the diverging angle of arm portions 26 and 27 may be materially increased from that shown in Fig. l, and in other respects dimensional and equivalent changes may be made within the anticipated scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A blanket support including two arms each having a horizontal portion and a columnar arm portion, a base having a flat portion, a reversely turned portion forming one edge of the base, two holes in said edge suitable for the insertion therein of the horizontal portion of the two arms, the horizontal portion of each of said arms being inserted through one of said holes, a shoulder in each of said arms positioned to receive the reversely turned portion to block the withdrawal of the horizontal portion from said holes. the reversely turned portion of thebase being so shaped and sufiiciently resilient in character as to snap in behind said shoulders upon the insertion of the horizontal portion into said hole.

2. In a blanket support as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a second reverse turned portion so formed as to limit lateral movement of the far end of the horizontal portions of the two arms.

3. In a blanket support as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a stop for each arm limiting its turning movement said stop consisting of a member passing through other holes in the edge portion.

A blanket support including aplatc-like base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise substantially centrally of the foot end of such a mattress between such a mattress and its support, two arms extending from one edge of said base and pivotally mounted to the base on substantially parallel mounting axes, stops on the base limiting the pivotal movement of each of said arms and so positioned as to stop the arms when pivoting to a substantially upright position for the suporting of blankets above such a mattress, and said pivotal mountings and said arms being arranged to also allow pivotal movement of the upper ends of the arms to assume a collapsed and unobtrusive position adjacent to the top of such a mattress.

5. A blanket support including a base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise substantially centrally of the foot end of such a mattress and its support, two arms both extending from one edge of said base and pivotally mounted to the base on substantially parallel mounting axes and stops on the base limiting the pivotal movement of each of said arms and so positioned as to stop the arms when pivoting to a substantially upright position for the supporting of blankets above such a mattress.

6. A blanket support including a base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise substantially centrally of one edge of such a mattress and its support, two arms each having a-columnar portion and a shaft portion, the shaft portions of both arms being pivotally mounted to the base on substantially parallel mounting axes and extending from one common edge of said base, said columnar portions of each arm comprised of a short section adjacent to the shaft portion and a longer section continued from the short section, said sections being angled with respect to each other and stops on said base arranged to engage said short sections for limiting the pivotal movement of each-of said arms and to stop the arms when pivoting to a substantially upright position for the supporting of blankets above such a mattress.

7. A blanket support including a base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise substantially centrally of the foot end of such a mattress between such a mattress and its support, four spaced-apart bearing points in said base, two arms both extending from one edge of said base and pivotally mounted by said bearing points to said base, each of said arms being journaled by two of said spaced apart bearing points on mounting axes substantially normal to said edge of said base, said base and said arms having stop means adapted to stop the arms when pivoting, each in opposite directions, to a substantially upright position for supporting blankets above such a mattress.

8. A blanket support including a base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise substantially centrally of one edge of such a mattress between such a mattress and its support, two generally C-shaped arms both extending from one edge of said base, the lower ends of said arms being pivotally mounted to said base, stops on the base limiting the pivotal movement of each of said arms and so positioned as to stop said arms when pivoted to a substantially upright position for the support of blankets above such a mattress, said pivotal mountings and said arms being arranged to also allow pivotal movement of the upper ends of the C-shaped arms to assume a collapsed and unobtrusive position adjacent to the top of the mattress.

9. A blanket support including a base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise substantially centrally of one edge of such a mattress and its support and adapted to extend from only one edge of such a mattress; two generally C shaped arms each including a lower shaft portion, an upper portion and an intermediate portion connecting said lowerand upper portions; the shaft portion of each arm being journaled in said base below such a mattress and arranged for limited pivotal movement, said intermediate portion of each arm extending from a common edge of said base whereby said intermediate portions extend at only one end of such a mattress, said upper portion of each arm overhanging such a mattress above the top of such a mattress when said O shaped arms are pivoted to a raised position suitable for the support of blankets away from such a mattress and said upper portion of each arm being adjacent to such a mattress when said 0 shaped arms are pivoted to a lowered unobtrusive position.

10. A blanket support, depending largely for its stability upon a conventional support for a mattress and the stiffness and weight of a mattress resting thereon comprising a base of less width than a mattress and insertable edgewise under such a mattress between such a mattress and such a support for such a mattress, two arms extending from a common edge of said base and pivotally mounted to the base under such a mattress and arranged for limited pivotal movement, said limited pivotal movement being arranged to include a raised position for said arms for supporting blankets above and away from such a mattress and also an unobtrusive position adjacent to such mattress When said blanket support is in position for use.

11. The blanket support according to claim 10 and being further characterized in that said arms during said limited pivotal movement pivot in a substantially common vertical plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rawlings Feb. 19, 1901 Whitney Apr. 23, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS France Jan. 13, 1931 

